When an enterprise is deciding to use virtual desktop solutions, server based computing, and/or web applications, the computer may be replaced by a thin client computer or the operating system of the computer may be replaced with a thin client computing environment. A thin client computer and/or computing environment is one that relies on the resources of another computer and/or computing environment.
Some techniques that convert workstations to thin clients include, for example, by replacing a Microsoft™ Windows™ operating system shell (e.g., replacing the explorer.exe shell that manages the graphical interface to the OS including a start menu, taskbar, desktop, and file manager), replacing the underlying operating system completely with a different operating system (e.g., a lightweight Linux™ based operating system), and/or replacing a computer system with new thin client hardware. However, when the replacement either replaces the entire operating system to a new operating system, or alters the way in which the existing entire operating works with a new shell, several problems occur.
When the underlying operating system is changed, for example, from a Microsoft™ Windows™ operating system to a new operating system that provides virtualized clients access to a virtualization computing infrastructure, the downsides include a high initial cost because every workstation in the enterprise will have to be converted, a new management system will be required, rollout time is increased due to the scheduling of the conversion of all the workstations, and roll back to the prior operating system in the event of any issues can be extremely costly.
When the shell of the existing operation system is changed, using a shell replacement method, there are also several downsides that include a lack of reliability between the new shell and the existing operating system, difficulty to manage user/OS interactions due to removal of the old shell (e.g., support teams will have to get used to new habits to be able to help users), certain applications that relied on the operating system's original shell will not be compatible with the new shell, and roll back in case of any issues will again be extremely costly.